Stephen n



(No Model.) 2 2 S. N. SMITH. l

MAGHINB POB. MAKING BYBLBT STOCK.

Patented June 6, 1982;

FIL-ml,

2. 22 l-:F 2. 2. s 0

N. PETERS. Ptwnrucmgnpnw. vlamingen. Dv C.

Masses.

vUNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN N. SMITH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE. ISLAND.

MACHINE FOR MAKING EYELETSTOCK.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No.`2579,229, dated June 6, 1882.

Application filed August 18, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STEPHEN N. SMITH, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Making Eyelet- Stock, &c., of which the followin gis a specification.

This invention relates to an improved feed mechanism for delivering metal strips to machines for forming stock for lacing-hooks and similar machines, and to the peculiar construction and arrangement of a punch and die for said machines, which serve the twot'old purpose of scoring the tubular necks of the stock and of cutting the bottom or end from said necks. v

As regards the feed mechanism, the present invention is designed as an improvement upon thatfor which Letters Patent were granted to me on the 27th of December, 1870, No. 110,508, the object of the present invention being to simplify the mechanism and to reduce the num ber of wearing points, and thus avoid the danger which existed in the old mechanism of its -becoming inaccurate by reason of the wear ofthe numerous joints.

The improvements consist mainly in mounting the arm by which the downwardly-acting dog is depressed upon the main Yvibrating lever, insteadv of upon a fixed support, in dispensing with the spiral spring and bolt employed in the original device, and in arranging the parts formerly connected thereby to operate in direct connection with each other, as hereinafter explained in detail.

In-the manufacture of eyelets, cyeletstock, lacngfhooks, and stock for lacing-hooks, and

Asimilar products which require tubular necks Vor eyelets to be drawn up in sheet metal, it is necessary that the f'eed mechanism shall advance the-metal strip or blank byintermittent movements and with great accuracy, and that at the'time of the action of the cupping or -drawing punch the feed mechanism shall permit the blank to be drawn forward lunder the action of the punches in order that the necessary metal may be'drawn or owed into the necks. A feed mechanism answering this purpose has hitherto been patented to me.

The object of the present invent-ion as regards the feed is to produce a mechanism which will secure thesame results in a much more simple manner.

In themanufacture of lacing-hooks and eyelets it is customary to score or crease longitudinally the interior of the tubular necks, in order that they may be fractured and turned outward uniformly on all sides when applied to use. Hitherto it has been customary in forming the neck tohave the bottom or closed end of the neck or cup punched therefrom by one punch and the scoring veffected at a. subsequent operation by another punch.

The second feature ofthe present invention consists in so constructing and arranging a punch and die that they serveboth to score the interior of the tubular neck and to remove the end therefrom at one operation, the improve# ment cheapening the machine, expediting its action, and' producing a product of better and more accurate finish.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I -Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a machine for preparing stock for lacing-hooks having my improvements embodied therein. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, with the stock-guide shown-in section on the line :v w, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is atop plan viewof the stockguiding plate of the machine.

With the exception of the features constituting the subject of the present invention, the machine represented in the drawings is 0f substantially the same construction as those now in general use for the formation of the eyeletstock, the machine embracing a series of reciprocating punches, by the successive action of which the tubular necks are formed in the stock, and a feed mechanism for advancing the blank step by step beneath the punches.

A represents thebed or base plate of the machine, and B a. rigid upright frame rising therefrom to sustain the driving-shaft, the reciprocating punch-carriers, andother movable parts ofthe machine. Upon the bed-plate, at opposite sides of the machine, in line with each other, are located two guide-plates, C and D, to support and guide the stock in its passage through the machine. The plate C is provided at its receiving end with an opening, through which the stock passes and by which the stock is prevented from rising out of place. The

plate D, at the delivery side of the machine, is

IOO

provided with a roller, E, to bear upon the top ofthe stock and keep it down in position, this plate being also provided with a longitudinal groove, a, to permit the passage of thc tubular necks which are formed in the stock by the action ofthe machine. The guide-plate C is provided in its upper surface with a depression, d, to admit the end of one of the feedingfingers beneath the strip.

The feeding mechanism is constructed as follows: An' upright lever, F, is pivoted to one end of the machine and vibrated by means of a spring, G, which tends to throw it in one direction, and a cam, H, which acts against its upper end to move it in the opposite direction. To the lower end of the lever is attached an arm or tin ger, I, the lower end of which is bent at right angles and supported in the recess d of the feed-plate transversely beneath the stock. A second finger, J, is also pivoted to the lower end of the lever F, to engage with the upper surface of the stock, the two fingers I and J co-operating and grasping the stock between them as they are moved forward by the lever F to advance the stock beneath the punches.

In order to secure the proper action of the machine, it is necessary that the strip shall be permitted to move freely forward independently of the feeding devices during the action of the punches, in order to permit the metal to iow readily and without bein gruptured into the necks which are formed by the action of the punches. In order to permit this movement of the stock independent of the feeding devices, and to cause the feeding-fingers to grasp the stock and release thesame at the proper times, the end of the finger J is carried upward, as represented in Figs. l and 2, and a spring, K, applied to the upper end of lever F for the purpose of acting on the finger J and causing its lower end to press lightly upon the stock.

To the lever F below its fulcrum is pivoted a second lever, L, one end of which is curved upward and provided with an adjustable screw, M, to act upon the upper end of the feedingfinger J, while its opposite end is subjected to the action of a vertically-sliding bar, N, which is depressed at suitable intervals by means of a cam, 0, mounted upon the main shaft at the top of the machine, the same shaft carrying both of the feed-operating cams H and O.

The operation of the parts is as follows: During a backward movement of the lever F the two feeding-fingers I and J slide freely backward over the stock or strip, permitting the same to remain at rest or to be drawn forward slightly between the feeding-fingers under the action of the dies. After the feeding-fingers have completed their backward movement the cam H,operatin g upon lever F, carries its lowerl end forward, causing it to move forward the two feeding-fingers 1 and J. At the same time that this action takes place the cam 0,depress ing the bar N, causes the latter to move the lever L, the upper end of which, through its screw M, presses forward upon the upper end of the feeding-finger J, causing the lower end of the finger to press downward with great firmness upon the top of the stock, causing the stock to be grasped firmly between the two tingers and carried forward positively thereby. As the fingers complete their forward motion before the lever F begins to carry them backward, the cam O relieves the bar N from pressure, the bar in turn releasing the lever L,which ceases its action upon the finger J. The finger J, pressing now upon the stock lightly under the action of spring K only,will pass backward freely over the same at the same time that the finger I is drawn backward thereunder, leaving the stock in the meanwhile at rest.

While it is preferred to make use of the spring K in order to render the machine noiseless in action, it is not a -necessary part of the mechanism.

The form of the parts embraced in the feed mechanism may be modified, it' desired, provided their mode of action is not departed from.

'lhe screw M, between the lever L and the feed-fin ger, admits of the device being adjusted to apply more or less pressure to the strip, and of its being adapted to feed stock of different thicknesses. In order that the movement of the feed-f1ngers may be varied, a stop-screw, U, is mounted in the side of the frame to limit the backward movement ofthe lever F. It is obvious that any other adjustable stop may be substituted for this screw.

Passing now to the second feature of the invention, P, Q, and R represent three punches, by the successive action of which the tubular necks are formed in the stock, and S represents a polygonal punch,which descends through the necks for the purpose of scoring the same and cutting the bottom or closed end therefrom. A die,'I.,is located beneath the punch S,as shown in the drawings,and co-operates therewith for the purpose of supporting or sustaining the necks during the action of the scoring and cutting die, in order to prevent them from being mutilated or changed in form by the action of said punch. By constructing and arranging one punch to serve the twofold purpose of scoring the necks and cutting the end therefrom, I not only increase the capacity ofthe machine, but produce a stock having the ends of its neck finished in a sharp and regular manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a feed mechanism for cyelet and similar machines, the combination of a vibrating lever provided with a finger engaging beneath thestoek, asecond lever-tingerattached thereto, engaging above the stock, an arm pivoted to the lever to force the upper finger into engagement with the stock, and an operating-cam connected by intermediate devices, substantially such as shown, with said pivoted arm.

2. The combination of the vibratory lever F,

cams H and O.

IOC

IIO

3. The combination of the vibrator;T lever F, the tWofeed-ngers mounted upon said lever and engaging with opposite faces of the stock, the second lever, L, pivoted upon the rstnamed lever, and cam O, connected with the lever L, substantially in the manner described and shown.

4. In combination with lever F,fingers I and J, and spring G, the lever L, rod N, and cams H and O.

5. In combination with the vibratory lever F, the lingers I and J, and spring K, a positively-acting device, substantially as shown, operating to force the tin ger J downward Aupon the stock during its forward movement.

Witnesses:

GILMAN E. JoPP, Trios. A. MILLET'r. 

